Duty and Honor Series Q&A
by ObsidianJade
Summary: The Duty and Honor series (Red Duty, Black Honor, Bonds of Honor, Friendly Interest, and the RDBH Director's Cut) have generated a lot of questions - I figured it was past time I answered a few! Submit yours via review or PM - it helps keep me focused on my Bleach writing!
1. Intro

**DUTY AND HONOR SERIES Q&A**

Hey, everybody! Since I've recently gotten back to work on my biggest fanfiction project, the _Duty and Honor_ series (composed of _Friendly Interest, Red Duty, Black Honor, Bonds of Honor_, and the _Red Duty, Black Honor: Director's Cut_), I've decided that it was past time to address some of the questions that have come up during the course of the series. These can relate to the plot, the characters (romantic or general), the Zanpakutou, or any miscellaneous curiosities you may have about me or the stories.

The Q&A is an ongoing project - you're more than welcome to review or PM with more questions, and I'll edit them in or add further chapters as necessary to answer them. It's a pretty open thing, and I'll do my best to answer any question that's asked, with the exception of anything that would spoil a major plot point for the story, or, in the case of Misc questions, if it's too blatantly personal. Other than that, go nuts!

The current categories are as follows:

_Plot and Storyline_: Questions regarding the differences between the D&H series and Bleach canon, certain plot points that have already occurred in the series, and my motivations for them.

_Character: Interpersonal and Romantic_. These are divided into two chapters for easier organization and navigation. Any questions regarding personality, characterization, family, etc., will be in Interpersonal. Romantic will cover questions regarding any established, mentioned, or potential non-platonic relationships within the series.

_Zanpakutou_: Obviously, any questions regarding the Zanpakutou. Some of the answers include a lot of speculation, theorizing, and headcanon on my part, but if you're actually reading this, that probably isn't a surprise.

_Miscellaneous_: Everything else. Random questions, some of which may or may not be connected to the series, like, 'Who's your favorite _ ?', etc.

More categories will be added as necessary, so send those questions in!


	2. Plot and Storyline

**DUTY AND HONOR Q&A**

**PLOT AND STORYLINE**

**How does your canon differ from Kubo-sensei's? **

[POSSIBLE CANON SERIES SPOILERS] Early on, not by as much as you'd think (with the exception of the romantic bits). I started these stories back in late 2009, set in a general 'Post-War' timeline/universe, and then integrated a relatively minimal amount of Kubo-sama's canon into it as I went along. (The integration occurs in Bonds of Honor rather than RDBH, simply because I've spent a much longer time writing it!) My plot _actively_ separates from Kubo's somewhere in and around Aizen attacking the fake Karakura Town. In the Duty and Honor series, Ichigo fights in the same manner and still loses his power due to his final attack.

In Duty and Honor, Ichigo and the Soul Society are still unaware of Isshin's true identity (as a former Shinigami Captain and former head of the Shiba Clan) after the War with Aizen, until it's revealed at the very end of RDBH. Just... assume that Isshin fought the final battle but stayed outside of everyone's sight and awareness, because I'm not going to go back and rewrite the entire battle, fight sequences are a pain in the neck. Ichigo's training in the Precipice World would have been undertaken by Yoruichi, Kisuke, or both, since they actually _were_ aware of Isshin's identity.

Ichigo is returned to the Fourth Division for healing after the final battle, along with the rest of those who participated in the fight, and regains consciousness somewhat sooner than canon under Unohana's care. He spends a few days after waking up wandering around in Seireitei on the fringes of all the 'Yay we survived!' celebrations before returning to Karakura ahead of the final dissipation of his powers, where he spends the next year brooding. He regains his powers about a month before we see him in the early chapters of RDBH, which is part of why he's having so much trouble with his control. I am updating his early appearances in RDBH to reflect this, as when I started the series, I didn't anticipate him losing his powers at the end of the war. (The updated versions appear on AO3 only at this point.)

Gin is critically injured during the battle but survives, which is another major deviation from Kubo's plot.

Possibly the biggest difference between my series and canon is that Ichigo actually succeeded in killing Aizen at the end of the War, rather than Aizen being captured and imprisoned. This did, however, have the effect of allowing Aizen to manipulate the reincarnation cycle, bringing himself back as a human with his prior memories intact. The 'how' of that will be explained in the end... after I figure it out.

(Because I wasn't working on this series during the Xcution/Fullbringer arc, nothing at or beyond that point was integrated into the plot. You're welcome to assume that Ichigo got his power back working with them in the same manner he does in canon, except in Duty and Honor, his layup period is almost exactly a year, rather than 17 months. I don't have a precise headcanon for the restoration of Ichigo's powers here; if I'm *not* going with canon, it would be that they came back on their own within that timeframe because Ichigo's Hollow powers increase his spiritual healing ability and allowed his powers to reassert themselves in a much shorter time than Isshin's did.)

Byakuya's family is also a major deviation: while Byakuya's father was later revealed in canon to be Kuchiki Soujun, Kuchiki Ginrei's son, I had already, for purposes necessary to the plot (the angst! All the angst!) made Byakuya's father Kuchiki Kouga, a character seen in the non-canon Zanpakutou Rebellion anime filler arc, the wielder of Muramasa. In my series, Byakuya's mother was Kuchiki Ginrei's daughter, and his father was from outside the family, rather than the reverse. Kouga was also an adulterous bastard, and sired Ise Nanao, Hisana, and Rukia in various extramarital affairs.

(It's likely that Kouga himself was an offshoot of the Kuchiki Clan at some point in the past, because he manages to pass on the Clan's characteristic lavender/blue/grey eyes to his children rather than his own green. Yes, I know the genetic improbability of that. Genetics work differently for Shinigami. It's my story and I'm sticking to that.)

I stopped reading Bleach a while ago (just after the Fullbringer arc wrapped), and intentionally haven't caught up since it because I don't want to screw up the plotlines I still have in my head. I have peeked at/been informed of a few spoilers, so I basically know who dies, and a little of the why/how, but I haven't done any real research into the plots. However, I'm told I managed to correctly predict Isshin's former Squad as well his real identity, and the reappearance of Captain Hikifune. Who's reading whose plots here, Kubo-sama?

That said, assume that NOTHING from the beginning of the Fullbringer arc onward in canon has anything to do with Bonds of Honor, even if I DID accidentally predict Hikifune's reappearance. I'm retaining my original plotlines with regard to Ichigo's genetics/ancestry, Isshin and Ryuuken's relationship, and everything else that I am fully and/or marginally aware has been Jossed, or, in this case, Kuboed.

**Is Aizen behind the Espada reincarnating?**

Not intentionally. You'll notice that when he sees the reiatsu of Grimmjow, Ulquiorra, and Hallibel appear alongside Ichigo & Co. in chapter 27 that he's unaware of who/what they are/were. However, as Aizen used the Hogyoku both to create the Espada as well as to metamorphose into his evil butterfly self, it's entirely possible that he accidentally formed a link between himself and his Arrancar in the process, which could have served to draw their souls back into the human world after Aizen reincarnated.

**WHY DID YOU KILL CHAD/TAKE HIS SOUL AWAY? **

This is literally the most useless answer I can give you, but you'll see. It is explained, COMPLETELY explained, in later chapters. It is all explained. And you will not hate me for it as much as you did when he was killed and his soul very abruptly moved on.

**[Post BoH Ch29] WHY DID YOU KILL [insert character here]?**

See above. It's all tied in to the plot, I swear, I'm not just killing them off for personal enjoyment. And you can believe that, because I don't actually enjoy writing character deaths! It was in part my inability to face writing one of the deaths found late in the story that forced me to walk away from Bonds of Honor for so long - even though I'd had long discussions over it with the character in question, and I was the only one of us that seemed to have a problem with it!

**How does Satoru know about Aizen?**

So, being tortured for a few hours does *not*, in fact, make you an expert in being a torturer. Tsutomu was trying to stimulate an acupuncture point that would result in Satoru being knocked unconscious in order to keep him from overhearing Masa's ranting and so that he could be more easily transported. However, the point he hit rendered Satoru unable to voluntarily control any muscles, physically - but not mentally - simulating unconsciousness. Satoru was awake and aware while Masa was storming around ranting about Aizen, but completely unable to move, react, or otherwise give any indication of consciousness.


	3. Character - Interpersonal

**DUTY AND HONOR Q&A**

**CHARACTER - INTERPERSONAL**

**How are the reincarnated Espada different from their old selves?**

Physically, not by very much. They all retain the same basic physical build and facial appearance, with the obvious differences being Ulquiorra's skin tone and all of their various Hollow-mask fragments and Hollow holes. Hallibel's hair isn't quite so blonde, and Grimmjow's hair is naturally black, although he dyes the tips of it pretty much the same blue it was when he was an Espada. All of them have the same eye color they previously did.

Their personalities vary a little more. Although the same essential personality traits are still there, they've also been tempered by their human lives. All three of them are a little more laid-back and open. They're not in a situation where letting their guard down for a split-second is likely to result in their death, so a lot of the fear and natural results thereof is gone. Hallibel is still reserved and a little slow to trust, but she's studying Psychology and likes to analyze people first. Ulquiorra is still introverted and a bit taciturn, but he believes in love and kindness as well as despair. And if Grimmjow has changed the least of the three and still fights for the love of violence, well, the MMA scene pays well and he's good at it, and he keeps the fighting confined to the ring. Mostly. Except when he's drunk, in which case a few barstools might have to be replaced, the police called, and a drunk and disorderly charge worked off by volunteering at a local dojo, but that might just be Fate working to bring him back into Ichigo's circle of influence.

**How are Fumio and Byakuya actually related?**

They share a great-grandfather, making them second cousins. Fumio's grandfather, Norio, the Chief Archivist for the Kuchiki Clan, is Ginrei's baby brother.

**So, ARE Rukia and Hisana really Byakuya's half-siblings?**

Yes, they are. Although there's no way for the characters within the story to determine it, Byakuya's father, Kuchiki Kouga, sired them both during an extramarital affair with a Rukongai woman. Ise Nanao was sired in between Hisana and Rukia, meaning that Kouga was in various relationships with at least three women simultaneously. Kouga's promiscuity virtually guarantees that Byakuya has other half-siblings he knows little or nothing about, but they're not likely to play a part in the story at this point.

Byakuya correctly suspects that his bluff to the King's Guard Tu following the birth of Rukia and Ichigo's twins (that Hisana and Rukia are bastard offspring of Kouga's), is true, based largely on Rukia's startlingly similar appearance to himself and Ise Nanao, who he knows is his half-sister. But as he considers Rukia his sister anyway, it makes no difference in how he treats her.

**What's with Ichigo's sexuality? Is he flirting with Grimmjow in Chapter 29? **

Ichigo is straight. As he has joked previously, he is one of the few completely straight characters in my story canon. However, he is, if you will pardon me stealing sentiments off a bumper sticker, 'straight but not narrow.' He's completely comfortable and secure in his sexuality, and doesn't feel the need to defend it by acting like an uber-masculine idiot.

As for flirting with Grimmjow... sorta? He's capable of acknowledging that Grimmjow is an attractive individual, even if he's not attracted to him. He is physically comfortable around Grimmjow, either despite or because of their mutual history, and the massive levels of angst Ichigo is displaying following Grimmjow's reappearance are mostly because he feels responsible for Grimmjow being tortured by Kurotsuchi. Because Ichigo _didn't_ kill Grimmjow in their battle (regardless of the fact he had no desire or intention to kill Grimmjow) and later lost his powers, he was unable to save him from Kurotsuchi until over a year had passed. Ichigo, in his typical form, is guilt-tripping himself in a spectacular fashion over not having spared Grimmjow that fate.

**Speaking of the Espada, why does Ichigo trust them so fast? **

His instincts (including Zangetsu's) told him they were trustworthy. While he's mentally assigned them a kind of 'probation period' to determine whether or not they'll remain in the category of allies, he's also elected to give them the benefit of the doubt. His previous interactions with Grimmjow and Ulquiorra have actually helped him build trust towards them, rather than the opposite.

**In BoH Chapter 24, Ichigo accuses Isshin of just standing around being useless while Ichigo saves the life of a child struck by a car. What gives?**

Isshin wasn't actually as useless as Ichigo was implying - he was keeping the parents from disrupting their son's treatment, which is important, and while he did hesitate at the sight of the injured child, it's actually because elements of the accident made him think about Orihime's brother Sora, one of the few patients he was never able to save. The memory shocked him for a few crucial seconds and he hesitated. Ichigo was just using the longstanding problem of Isshin's destroyed relationship with Ryuuken to vent his frustration on his father - Isshin wasn't actually being useless. He also had faith in Ichigo's ability to save the child.

**How does Gin feel about Hitsugaya's relationship with Rangiku and Kin? **

Although it's not actually in set the same universe as the Duty and Honor series, my one-shot _The Taste of Smoke _actually sums up a lot of what Gin is going through pretty well, even if it does do it through Ichigo. Powerless and bereft, he's put in the uncomfortable position of having to entrust the safety of those he cares about to someone else, when he'd much rather be able to fight the battles himself. Gin doesn't trust easily, particularly not where the safety of those precious to him is concerned. If it has to be anyone else, though, Gin is glad it's Hitsugaya who's taken over as the default protector of his 'girls'. There is a level of trust between Gin and Hitsugaya, and Gin has faith in Hitsugaya's strength, intelligence, and willingness to protect Rangiku and Kin.

**Does Kin want to know her father? **

If you asked her, she would answer a very firm 'no'. This is not entirely true. It hardly needs to be explained that Kin has abandonment issues. Although she would never admit it out loud, she always felt that Gin should have been able to sense within Rangiku's reiatsu that Rangiku had become pregnant (he couldn't have at the moment of conception; for the change to become detectable, even to someone like Unohana, takes a few weeks), and Kin believes - although possibly only on a subconscious level - that Gin left Matsumoto *because* Matsumoto became pregnant. None of this helps her inferiority complex and self-hatred. Keep in mind that Kin is still *very* young - she is, in fact, quite a bit younger than even her classmates, Haru and Ko, but was fast-tracked through the Academy due to Shinsou joining her - and still sees the world very much in black and white. Her moral structure is still that of a young person, in which everything is dealt in absolutes.

However, she trusts and listens to Hitsugaya, perhaps somewhat more than she does her mother, and Hitsugaya is much less emotionally involved with the subject of Gin. Because of listening to Hitsugaya, Kin is becoming a little curious about who her father actually is as a person, rather than what she grew up hearing, which was 'traitor' and 'war criminal.' Hitsugaya, although he has since ceased encouraging her to trust her father, knowing that openly challenging her beliefs will only make her defensive, is leading by example in that he actively trusts Gin. He and Matsumoto will occasionally sneak Gin into conversations when Kin is visiting the Tenth Division and standing somewhere within earshot.

All of this is actually serving to create _more_ emotional conflict within her, because she both fully trusts Hitsugaya and fully believes that Gin is evil and wrong. However, Hitsugaya does _not_ believe Gin is evil and wrong, ergo Kin spends a lot of time being emotionally conflicted and angsty and basically a teenage girl.

**What's Masa's issue with Renji? And everyone else? **

Other than the fact he's a sociopathic dickhead? No, seriously. He is a sociopath. And also a dickhead. Masa is a relatively distant relation of Byakuya's, and was raised by a very old, very set-in-his-ways, and very classist uncle. Masa's parents weren't around when he was growing up (I don't know whether they died, divorced, or just took off), and his uncle took over raising him in a very isolated environment rather than sending him to the main branch of the household to be raised with the rest of the youngsters.

Do not feel that Masa's nature is entirely a matter of his childhood environment. He was petty, cruel, and utterly self-centered even as a youngster, and never developed the ability to feel empathy for other beings. Being raised by a bigoted jackass uncle didn't help, but it's doubtful that he would have turned out much differently even under the care of the full Kuchiki House. He sees anyone who is not a blood noble as worthless and generally disposable, unless he can use them for something, like Tsutomu. But people, any people, are basically dime-store tchotchkes to him. Break one? Replace it. Not satisfied? Throw it out and replace it. He keeps Tsutomu, damaged though he is, because he's put a great deal of time into training Tsutomu to be his ideal servant, and believes that Tsutomu is utterly broken to his whims. Tsutomu, on the other hand, is starting to get a little sick of the presumption.

I'm not certain what Tsutomu's history is, but he, like his master, is also a sociopath, and, as you can tell from the story, misogynistic to the point of pathology. Freud would assume he had issues with his mother. Freud would probably be right. Chances are decent that Tsutomu's mother actually _was_ a Rukongai prostitute, since that seems to be his default belief of a woman's status. Tsutomu is also highly conditioned to follow orders, but only orders of those he feels are worthy (this may have come from his mother's clients, in that the people who had money were the ones who deserved to have their wishes obeyed?). He follows Masa partly because Masa is a noble and therefore powerful (even after Masa's expulsion from the Kuchiki House, both Tsutomu and Masa believe that Aizen will grant Masa control of the Kuchiki House, as Aizen promised initially to secure Masa's loyalty.) Tsutomu is also loyal to... whatever the hell he believes Aizen's ideals are, although I'm really not certain what his interpretation of them is.

Masa's specific hatred for Renji is because Renji, who was not _born_ to nobility, secured power, position, and title through his strength and dedication. Because Masa believes that only noble blood makes one worthy of power, he sees Renji as both the utter antithesis of his beliefs and the embodiment of all he despises. He's also aware that Renji is significantly more powerful than him, and greatly resents that. Doubly so because Renji now has rights under the Kuchiki name, which Masa has now lost, in large part _because_ of his history with Renji, when he bought Renji as a child whore.

**Do you have datasheets for your OC officers/characters?**

Not really, but I can put them together if anyone is interested, just let me know.


	4. Zanpakutou

**DUTY AND HONOR Q&A**

**ZANPAKUTOU**

**Why does Yoruichi's Zanpakutou have no voice? **

In flashback chapters, Yoruichi is shown carrying a blade presumed to be a Zanpakutou. However, this blade is only seen in the past, and she has since ceased carrying it, apparently in favor of fighting with her Shunko and Flashstep abilities. My theory - drawn in part from the Zanpakutou Rebellion arc and therefore probably bearing no relation whatsoever to canon no matter how much sense it makes (does it making sense preclude it from relating to canon?) - is that if the bearer of a Zanpakutou disregards their blade-spirit for long enough, after some time they will no longer be able to hear their blade-spirit's voice, and eventually, the blade-spirit's voice, and later the spirit itself, will fade altogether.

If Yoruichi has been ignoring her Zanpakutou for roughly a century, give or take, the spirit itself may have just faded into nothingness by now from the complete lack of spiritual energy through which it could sustain itself, which would result in Yoruichi's blade having become nothing more than a piece of sharp metal. This may qualify as some type of murder within the laws of the Seireitei or the Gotei, although it's very difficult to say whether it would actually bother Yoruichi even if it does.

**How does Kin wind up with her father's Zanpakutou?**

The Zanpakutou Rebellion Arc tells us that Zanpakutou are born with their Shinigami, and die with their Shinigami. Canon is a little muddier on this, given that Tousen carried the Zanpakutou of his friend after she died, rather than acquiring one of his own. Somewhere in the grey area in between these is my theory, which is partially tied into reincarnation as well.

Becoming a Shinigami fractures your soul. Think about it. Their Zanpakutou are representations of their souls that an inexperienced Shinigami can't speak to or control, and they're frequently injured learning how to use them. It's the oldest and most powerful Shinigami, the ones who have the strongest sense of 'self' - often achieved through meditative communion with their Zanpakutou - the broken-off piece of their soul - that have gone the furthest to healing the fractures in their soul and actually becoming whole again.

Some people in our world are called 'old souls', which is a term used for people who often seem wise beyond their years (or occasionally world-weary beyond their years). It's my personal theory that these 'old souls' have a stronger connection to their past lives than the average human, and can in fact feel the weight of some of their past lifetimes. When it's applied to Shinigami and their Zanpakutou (Hitsugaya being a good example here), it's because the Zanpakutou has retained either memory, power, or both, that was acquired in previous lives. The reason Hitsugaya is so insanely strong at his young age is because he was a very powerful Shinigami in previous lives, and Hyorinmaru retained that power. The Zanpakutou, like the Shinigami, will alter appearance, abilities, and identity when it and its wielder are reborn.

Gin's reiatsu channels were burned out and his ability to be a Shinigami therefore destroyed after the War. What, then, happens to Shinsou? Gin isn't dead, but he can't support a connection with his Zanpakutou spirit any longer, because the energy channels that were destroyed were necessary to sustain and communicate with one's Zanpakutou. And Shinsou, left at loose ends without the ability to connect to Gin, is adrift without anchor or paddle.

So, what's a Zanpakutou spirit to do? Well, follow his master's life goal - protect those he loves. Kin, having not been a Shinigami in previous lifetimes, has not yet fractured her soul in order to create her own Zanpakutou. So, instead of her actually breaking her soul and gaining her own Zanpakutou spirit, Kin has a piece of her father's soul attached to her own. It is, as you can imagine, a rather unconventional arrangement, and I don't know yet how well it will work out in the end. In human terms, think of it as not being able to use your own arms, but having a third arm attached instead, possibly a la Inspector Gadget's hat. Even if you learn to control it perfectly and have it cooperate and do precisely what you want, it's still not your own arm, so it's basically a weird situation all around.

**Will you show Shuuhei's Bankai? **

Yes, he gets to show it off in the climactic final battle! (Chapter 31 and onward.) And yes, I had already decided on the appearance/abilities of his Bankai when he achieved it in RDBH. I'm told he has one in canon now, but I haven't looked to see if I got it right.

**What is Minori's Zanpakutou?**

Named a few times already in the series, Kurotora [lit 'Black Tiger] is a close combat weapon. When released into Shikai, he takes the form of a gauntlet that reaches to slightly above the biceps of Minori's right arm. The metal is dark copper with black stripes, and the fingers are each tipped with extremely sharp claws capable of cutting or stabbing. When in Shikai, Kurotora will also focus and amplify any kidou fired from her right hand, as well as act as a shield when necessary. The short range of her Zanpakutou forced Minori to become an exceptional melee combatant and Shunpo user.


	5. Character - Romantic

**DUTY AND HONOR SERIES Q&A**

**CHARACTER - ROMANTIC**

**Will Hitsugaya and Kin get together?**

No. Maybe in a few centuries, long after this series is over. But for the time being, Kin considers Hitsugaya more of a brother/teacher, and Hitsugaya is more concerned about Kin's safety and welfare than her viability as a romantic partner.

**Why not give Hitsu/Momo a chance?**

For the same reason I don't ship Ren/Ruki, actually. I see their relationship as being waaaay too sibling-y for romance. Also, any relationship between them would be kind of unfair to Momo - Hitsugaya is so bent on protecting her and keeping her safe that he would be a stiflingly overprotective boyfriend, and Momo would never reach her full potential. She's also so damaged from Aizen's betrayal that any romance within the Duty and Honor series, particularly before the long time-skip in Bonds of Honor, would have been escapism on her part, looking for somewhere to put all the affection she once felt for Aizen. She needs to learn who _she_ is first.

**Hitsu/Anybody?**

Really, no. I have a very hard time shipping Hitsugaya with anyone romantically. Part of it is his young appearance, part of it is his attitude, and part of it goes back to the Diamond Dust Rebellion movie. If you haven't seen the movie, the pertinent parts of it are thus; while Hitsugaya is still at the Academy, he and another student, Kusaka, were very close friends. However, when Toushirou and Kusaka discovered the names of their Zanpakutou, they _both_ possessed Hyorinmaru.

Now, in my canon, it is entirely possible for two Shinigami to share ownership of their Zanpakutou, as exemplified by Byakuya/Renji and Ukitake/Kyouraku. This is called 'dual wielding', and occurs when a pair of Shinigami, generally in a romantic relationship, are what humans would refer to as 'soulmates.' They are pairs destined for one another, and only by being together are they truly complete.

Both pairs of Shinigami with the ability to dual-wield were adults (or at least late adolescence in Kyouraku's case...) when they began their relationships with one another. But what if a pair of soulmates had met one another (and started to have romantic feelings for one another) while they were still very young - young enough that their intrinsic personality, which helps to shape the form of their Zanpakutou, hadn't fully manifested itself yet?

Well, to me, it makes sense that if a pair of destined soulmates had discovered one another that early, it's entirely possible that the outward manifestation of their souls - their Zanpakutou - would mirror one another, and that they would therefore have the same Zanpakutou.

The Soul Society does not think along the same lines that I do, and apparently does not support the concept of soulmates. In the Soul Society, when two Shinigami manifest the same Zanpakutou, they are sentenced to duel to the death for the victor to earn the 'right' to possess their blade.

As Hitsugaya is still alive, you can imagine how that went. A child, who had lived an incredibly isolated life thus far due to his own uniqueness, was forced to take the life of his best friend, one of the few people who even had the possibility of completely understanding him, because their souls were linked in a way beyond the comprehension of those in power.

I never really shipped Hitsugaya with anyone *before* seeing Diamond Dust Rebellion, but I find it nearly impossible to ship with anyone now.

**What's your backstory for Ikkaku and Yumichika?**

Yumi was a prostitute in Rukongai. He's attractive, he likes sex, so it was a decent fit. But once in a while, he got a troublesome client that wouldn't back off when they were told. Yumi got pretty good at defending himself over the years, but one day the problematic client was too big for him to fight off on his own. Enter Ikkaku, playing white knight and knocking out the guy. Yumi offered his services to thank Ikkaku, and Ikkaku, partially out of misguided nobility and partially because he's Ikkaku and considers fighting its own reward, refused. Cue Yumi trailing after Ikkaku for the next several weeks badgering Ikkaku to let Yumi pay him back *somehow* for saving him, because he doesn't like owing debts. When Ikkaku got into another fight against multiple opponents with rusty weapons and was seriously injured with wounds that later became infected, Yumichika found them a house, got food, and spent weeks nursing Ikkaku back to health. (This would set the pattern for the next, oh, several *centuries*...)

It took them nearly five years to actually have sex. Ikkaku was still insistent on being noble (or possibly just blockheaded), even though they'd both fallen in love with one another sometime around the three-month mark, and Yumichika had known from the first time he wrapped a bandage around Ikkaku's shiny bald head three weeks after meeting the guy that he'd follow Ikkaku anywhere, including, as it turns out, into the Seireitei and the Gotei 13 about ten years after they'd met.

**You've said both that Byakuya did and didn't sleep with Hisana. Which is true?**

When Byakuya is on his honeymoon with Renji at the end of RDBH, he muses that Renji is a very different lover from Hisana. Much later, in Bonds of Honor, he tells the King's Guard Tu that he and Hisana never slept together because he was aware she was his half-sibling, and used the excuse of her ill health. He was lying to Tu.

Byakuya and Hisana were intimate a handful of times, although, as stated, there was never a risk of conception due to Hisana's lack of reiatsu and general poor health. I'm aware that doesn't excuse the squick for most of you, and I apologize, but it's still part of the story.

**Any romance ahead for Minori?**

No, she's working too hard! *laughs* Don't worry, though. She's a lot like her sister in that the work always comes first, but she enjoys it. Feeling productive and helpful makes her happy, and, while she does have a romantic streak, she's better suited to playing matchmaker (she was subtly working behind the scenes to get Rikichi and Hanatarou together, because they're adorable) than to being in a romantic relationship of her own.

**Does Matsumoto still love Gin? **

Yes. She never stopped loving Gin, just as he never stopped loving her.

**What the heck is going on with Isshin and Ryuuken? **

Okay, this one's complicated. My canon for this - which I'm fully aware is COMPLETELY opposite Kubo's but I'm sticking with anyway, so there - is that Isshin and Ryuuken first met when Isshin was still a Shinigami and Ryuuken was quite young, very early in his training to be a Quincy warrior. It would have been only just before Isshin lost his Shinigami powers. Some hero-worship became involved despite the traditional enmity of their people. Time passed, Isshin wound up in love, injured, in a gigai, and married, Ryuuken was forced to marry, the genocide of the Quincy happened, and everything went to Hell in a handbasket, essentially. I'm relatively certain this is the complete opposite of canon, but I'm sticking with it 'cuz I like it. It makes for more man-pain.

Some indeterminate time after Masaki (wife, not granddaughter)'s death, Isshin got spectacularly drunk and went ranting to Ryuuken. Ryuuken, who was still harboring his massive childhood crush on Isshin, allowed it, and they later began drinking and ranting together every Friday. It eventually lead to sex, which Isshin considered only a physical comfort and Ryuuken found INCREDIBLY MEANINGFUL, but because he's literally filed under 'goddamned stubborn Quincy idiot' in my mental filing cabinet, Ryuuken refused to ever acknowledge, to himself or Isshin, the emotional weight he was assigning to their relationship.

After The Stupid Suicidal Boys Confrontation where Byakuya slaps some sense into Isshin and Isshin does the decent thing and goes to Ryuuken, Ryuuken tells Isshin he never wants to see him again. This is because Ryuuken is mad at 1) Isshin, because he thinks Isshin is doing this out of pity rather than both a long-overdue epiphany and human decency, and 2) himself, for being 'weak and foolish' enough (his thoughts, not mine) to fall in love with a Shinigami in the first place. And yes, he does proceed to stay angry at Isshin for the next 20-odd years. This is why he is filed under 'goddamned stubborn Quincy idiot'.

Yes, Ryuuken is hoping that Isshin will be the one to save him from Aizen.

Yes, this will all be rectified by the end of the story.


	6. Character Sheets - Lieutenants

**DUTY AND HONOR SERIES**

**CHARACTER SHEETS - OC LIEUTENANTS**

* * *

**_Name: _Ise Minori**

_Current Rank_: Lieutenant, Fifth Division

_Former Rank_: Sixth Seat, Ninth Division

_Height_: 5'8"

_Weight_: 130lbs

_Hair_: Brown, worn braided

_Eyes_: Hazel

_Zanpakutou_: Kurotora (Black Tiger)

_Release phrase_: 'Prowl through the shadowed night!'

_Shikai special abilities_: Enhancement of physical strength and focus of reiatsu to enhance kidou. Release takes the form of a high gauntlet with sharpened and extended fingertips, similar to Soifon's Suzumebachi but five-fingered.

_Add'l notes_: Minori has replaced the standard white himo-ties of her hakama with dark green ones, which match Renji's scarf and haori lining. It's partly a gesture of solidarity and loyalty, and partly because she likes the color green and wants something a little unique.

_Family_: Mother, Ise Inazami

Half-sister Ise Nanao

Unnamed Shinigami father

_History_: Born an unblooded Shinigami (non-noble descent), within the walls of Seireitei, as the second child of her mother, Minori spent her early years hero-worshipping her older half-sister, Ise Nanao. Wanting to emulate Nanao's Shinigami path, she joined the Soul Academy as soon as she could pass the entrance exams. A solid but unexceptional student, she performed reasonably well in all classes and graduated in the top third of her year.

She was accepted into the Thirteenth Division as an unseated officer upon graduating, and trained extensively in kidou and shunpo under the tutelage of the Division's Third Seat, Shiba Miyako. She obtained her shikai during this time and worked to refine her combat style, integrating all three skills.

Following Miyako and Kaien's deaths some twenty-five years later, she transfered to the Ninth Division as a fifteenth seat. An unshakeable work ethic and good team leadership skills saw her work her way up the ladder based on her performance as a patrol leader, trainer, and administrator, and she had been a Sixth Seat for just over a year before Renji selected her as Lieutenant.

_Combat Stats:_

_Attack: _80/100

_Defense: _70/100

_Mobility: _90/100

_Kidou: _90/100

_Intellect: _80/100

_Stamina: _60/100

Minori relies on her Flashstep abilities and kidou expertise just as much as her Zanpakutou, which is a short-range melee weapon. She's an intelligent and efficient fighter, but her energy-intensive combat style means that long battles are exhausting.

* * *

**_Name_: Morito Hitoshi**

_Current Rank_: Lieutenant, Third Division

_Former Rank_: Fourth Seat, Eighth Division

_Height_: 5'5"

_Weight_: 145lbs

_Hair_: Sandy brown, worn in a low ponytail

_Eyes_: Grey

_Zanpakutou_: Akimichi (Sparkling Pathway)

_Release Phrase_: 'Split the sky!'

_Shikai Special Abilities_: Lightening-based power. Can transmit a charge/current along the ground (or other generally non-conductive materials, including wood, stone, etc., as well as conductive mediums such as metal or water) to incapacitate or destroy enemies. Works as an excellent compliment to Kira's abilities. At this time he cannot cast through air. Release adds an elaborate 3/4 sphere guard around the hilt, changing the color of the blade and guard to faintly luminescent gold, and two long wires sprout from the pommel to trail on the ground, presumably for conductive and/or grounding purposes.

_Add'l Notes_: -

_Family_: Names unknown.

_History_: The son of a courtesan and a minor noble, Hitoshi was trained from a young age to be a warrior and bodyguard. His father, a distant relative of the Kyouraku Clan, had Hitoshi as part of his entourage at one point when he was visiting the Kyouraku family estates. Shunsui, also visiting at the time, noticed Hitoshi's burgeoning reiatsu and recommended him to the Soul Academy. Already extensively trained in swordplay and hand-to-hand combat, Hitoshi aced these classes, although he struggled somewhat with the fine control of reiatsu necessary for kidou. He graduated in the top quarter of his class due to deeply rooted self-discipline and perseverance, and was granted an Unseated officer's position within the Eighth Division. Over the next eighty years he served with dedication and loyalty, and had risen to Fourth Seat by the time Kyouraku recommended him as Kira's Lieutenant.

Hitoshi's bodyguard training keeps him quiet and in the background of anywhere he's present; it's not in his nature to call attention to himself. He's not particularly sociable, but will occasionally go drinking with Iba and Ikkaku if they invite him along. Bar brawls are almost inevitable, and although Hitoshi often gets picked on during these brawls because of his height, he has more than enough muscle to make up for it. He has met Ichigo several times and has great deal of respect for him, often volunteering to go to the Living World in order to spar with him of his children.

_Combat Stats_:

_Attack_: 90/100

_Defense_: 70/100

_Mobility_: 60/100

_Kidou_: 60/100

_Intelligence_: 80/100

_Stamina_: 100/100

Hitoshi's intensive combat training and lightening-based Zanpakutou make him a formidable opponent. While not a creative tactician, he has studied martial masters and can apply their advice in combat situations. His disadvantage, like Kira's, lies with airborne opponents, as he cannot channel his Zanpakutou's lightening strikes through the air.


End file.
